


Only You

by knifelesbian



Series: At Peace We Are Forever [2]
Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Normal AU, gertchase is just background stuff haha, happy birthday Lauren!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 10:30:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15794688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knifelesbian/pseuds/knifelesbian
Summary: Alternatively titled: Karolina and Nico are oblivious for about 30 pages





	Only You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lesbinej](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbinej/gifts).



> this fic was written for Lauren's (@pebbleys) birthday, because she's amazing and funny and smart (no matter how much I tease <3) and I wanted her to know how much I appreciate her. Happy Birthday!!!

There is a man in Karolina's kitchen, and she is considering calling the cops. Usually, she goes along with Gert's stance on law enforcement, that being that cops are racist pigs. But the guy in her kitchen is jacked, and she's not sure if she could take him. Although, there is that Hello Kitty baseball bat Mom gave her when she moved here- but she's not sure where that is, and it's way too early to go looking for it.

"Hey," the guy says as he notices her, seemingly unfazed. "You want pancakes?"

"Uh. Who are you? If you're, like, here to rob us, or something, you've come to the wrong place." She tugs at her pyjamas, mentally going through the apartment and trying to remember where she left the baseball bat.

The guy looks confused, then bursts out laughing. "Nah, nah, I'm Gert's-" he pauses, as if searching for the right word. "I'm with Gert."

Karolina relaxes. "Ah. Date of the week." Wait, shit, that was probably rude, wasn't it? This guy doesn't know how quickly Gert gets tired of people she dates, and Karolina needs to get a better filter, Jesus.

The guy looks confused again, and when he speaks, his voice is quiet and hurt. "What do you mean 'date of the week'?"

"Nothing, nothing, sorry. I don't have a filter in the mornings. Um, I'm Karolina, by the way."

All the cheer has gone out of him as he says, "I know. Gert told me about you. Apparently, though, I didn't get the same treatment, so my name's Chase. Nice to meet you." He sticks out a hand, and Karolina shakes it, feeling awkward.

"And the same. Um, I'm gonna go for a run, if Gert asks after me..." Chase nods, and Karolina gets out of the kitchen as quickly as possible. She changes, grabs her half empty water bottle off her nightstand, and heads into the hallway. She considers filling it up in the kitchen, but decides to just use tap water from the bathroom when she hears Gert and Chase quietly arguing in the kitchen. Karolina is not putting herself in the middle of that, no fucking way. (Even if it was her fault. But that's another issue entirely.)

She jogs around her usual loop, passing the flower stand, the bookstore Gert works at, and one of the designated paths down to the nearby beach. She considers jogging that way, but it might be too tempting to take an early shift at the surf shop she works at, and Karolina hates working in anything other than swimwear. If she stays in real clothes, she won't be able to go out in the water on her break, and that's Completely unacceptable.

Karolina slows down as she passes the neighborhood coffeeshop. The actual coffee is fairly subpar, but one of the workers is gorgeous, so Karolina is pretty sure she's got her priorities in order. Even if Gert complains endlessly whenever she brings home coffee from her run.

The girl is Eastern Asian, and is usually wearing something dark and over-complicated that always makes Karolina wonder how she withstands the heat. She's also completely stunning, with a voice like liquid gold- every time she hears it, Karolina melts, aka gets super, super flustered and only manages to blurt out her order. She also doesn't know the girl's name, unless, somehow, her birth certificate says  **/ᐠ｡** **ꞈ** **｡ᐟ\ DESTROYER.**

Unfortunately, when Karolina peaks inside the shop, the cute girl isn't there, so she sighs and heads back on home, hoping to God that Gert sorted out her shit with that guy.

When she returns, they're half naked, making out on the  _ communal _ couch. God, Molly is going to be so pissed next time she stays over. She goes to culinary school across town, so she's not over a lot, but when she is she  _ always _ knows when somebody was doing nasty shit on 'her' couch.

Karolina showers, then changes into her trunks with the neon turtles on them and her bright pink bikini top, tying up her hair in a lazy ponytail without drying it. She steps into her flip-flops, calling out, "Heading to work, don't forget you have class later!"

She hears an annoyed groan, and then one of Karolina's painstakingly chosen throw pillows is tossed in her direction from the living room, but she just laughs, heading out the door. She's ready to face the day, now, the endorphins from her run giving her the energy she needs. Oh, and the knowledge that she didn't completely fuck Gert over. That definitely helps.

~~~~~

"Gert, I am not going on a date with your weird roommate."

Why, oh, why, did Chase have to get a girlfriend? Like, objectively, Nico is happy for him, even if his means of acquiring said girlfriend were suspect and bordering on traitorous. Gert is funny, and smart, and they really did need someone new in their friend group. The three of them staying up until 3AM eating reheated pizza and playing Overwatch every other evening was getting sad, no matter how good of a Widowmaker main Nico is.

But before, Alex and Chase were content in letting her wallow in single-ness, even if it meant she stole their dates every now and then and had a one night stand. Now, Gert has taken it upon herself to set Nico up with her weird roommate, and she is Not Having It. Even if Gert is making her a grilled cheese while she does it.

"But why noooooot? She's cute! You'll like her!"

"Gert, we've been over this. I'm not dating a vegan."

She pouts. "First of all, Karrie is a vegetarian, not a vegan, and second of all, I really think you'd hit it off."

Nico rolls her eyes. "No. We wouldn't. First of all, I don't date anyone who showers every day, and this girl you're talking about clearly does."

Gert screws her face up. "How could you possibly know that?"

"The way you describe her just has that energy. Big dumbass about hair care energy, I mean."

Gert sticks her tongue out at her, then flips the sandwich unto a plate and hands it to her. "Fine, asshole, be an old maid."

 

"Better than a busybody!" She calls as she leaves the kitchen, snickering at Gert's offended screech.

~~~~~

Karolina is in line at Cute Girl's Coffeeshop, which isn't it's actual name, but might as well be. Cute Girl is wearing a lot less clothing than usual, most likely to account for the heat, and Karolina can't make herself stop staring at her smooth ivory skin, her silky black hair that looks soft to the touch, her vampirically intense lipstick, glossy and dark in a way that makes Karolina want to know how it would look on her own mouth after kissing her-

"NEXT!"

Karolina is shocked out of her daydream by Cute Girl's loud voice calling out, and she scurries forward to place her order. "H-hi, I'll have a- a latte, with, um-"

Cute Girl smiles, like she's remembering something. "It was almond foam, right? With two Splenda- wait, no. Cane sugar."

_ CUTE GIRL REMEMBERS HER COFFEE ORDER WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK- _ "Yeah. Two cane sugar."

"See, I remember because it was the longest you've ever talked to me without stuttering. Something about Splenda causing cancer?" Cute Girl must think what she's said is embarrassing in some way, because she blushes deeply as she starts preparing Karolina's latte. Karolina, who's already paid, moves out of line to wait for her coffee, trying not to freak out. Is this flirting? Is it? IS IT?

She tucks a piece of hair that's escaped from her -admittedly not very structurally sound in the first place- ponytail, blushing. "Yeah, it's really interesting, actually. Well, not interesting, I suppose, seeing as people have, like, died. But you know what I mean."

Cute Girl winks at her.  _ Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck _ . "I do." She hands Karolina her coffee. "Well, it was nice talking to you!"

Karolina nods quickly. "You too!"

Feeling proud of herself for conducting a normal conversation with a cute girl, upon leaving the shop Karolina hops back on her skateboard and chugs the coffee as she cruises down the road, not caring about her burnt mouth as she tosses the empty cup in the trash. She's about to be late to work, and, as one of the only full time employees at a shop where most of the workers are students, her being on time is a bit more important. Which is nice, because it means she has something to lord over her ever condescending coworkers who like to backhandedly mention her lack of secondary education every other day.

~~~~~

“WHY IS THAT SO LOUD?” Chase yells from his room, but Nico pretends not to hear him. She’ll cite how loud Mitski is singing if he gets mad.

She’s lying on her bed in her fluffy blue bathrobe with the rubber ducks on it, sulking. She’s trying to let Mitski singing  _ nobody nobody nobody  _ over again soothe her, but it’s not working.

“ _ NICO,  _ TURN THAT SHIT OFF! I CAN’T THINK!” Oh, that’s Alex, this time. He sounds mad. Too bad she doesn’t actually care.

Nico crosses her arms, even though they can’t see her, refusing to turn off her music. Beach Girl hasn’t texted her, even though Nico  _ very clearly _ wrote her number on that cup two days ago, and she’s allowed to sulk dramatically, thank you very much.

There’s a sharp knock at her door. Nico ignores it. Another knock. She ignores it again. On the third knock, she’s just about to, you guessed it, ignore it, but upon the absence of a response, the door swings open.

Oh, Gert, of course. She should have known Chase and Alex are too pussy to bother her about this. Without saying a word, Gert trots over to the speaker and unplugs it.

“Hello, person who doesn’t live here,” Nico grumbles sarcastically, sitting up.

“Hello, melodramatic vampire. What is it this time?” For a girl she’s only known for a month or so, Gert really has completely indoctrinated herself into their lives. Yesterday morning she chewed out Alex for his sugary cereal addiction- again,  _ she does not live here _ .

And it’s not as if she spends all her time at their apartment. Sometimes Chase goes over to hers. But then Alex will start whining about ‘the lack of masculine energy’ and how it’s ‘messing with his testosterone’, so maybe it’s better that she comes here instead of Chase going over to her apartment.

Nico sighs heavily. “I gave a girl my number, but she never called me.”

Gert makes a sympathetic face. “Aw, that sucks. What was she like?”

Nico groans, burying her face in her hands. “She’s one of the regulars at the coffee shop I work at. Really beachy, and tall, and blonde, and she’s  _ so  _ pretty- but she’s probably not even gay, and I probably freaked her out by writing my number on that cup, and now I’m never gonna see her again.”

“Or,” Gert suggests, “She was in a rush, and didn’t see that you wrote your number. It happens.”

Nico rolls her eyes. “Only in movies.”

Gert scrunches up her nose in disagreement. “Nah. Not just in movies.”

~~~~~

“Molly, are you aware,” Karolina says groggily, cutting herself off with a yawn, “That it is seven AM? On a Friday?”

“Are you aware,” says Molly, cracking an egg into a bowl, “That I have a presentation today? And that you have a better kitchen than me and I need to practice?”

Karolina sighs, sitting at the counter. “That  _ better  _ be breakfast.”

“Well, it’s  _ sort of  _ breakfast.” Karolina groans. Of course. “I mean, beignets count, don’t they? I think they do. They did in The Princess And The Frog. We’re supposed to choose a recipe from popular culture, create our own version, and present it to the class-  _ including _ methods. Mr Woodland is  _ such  _ a hardass.”

Out of habit, Karolina mumbles, “Language,” but Molly just flips her off and sticks out her tongue. Sometimes Karolina forgets that they aren’t in high school anymore, and that Molly is an adult, now. The three of them- her, Gert, and Molly- all grew up together, and sometimes it’s hard to remember that Molly isn’t the baby of their group anymore.

A half hour later, Chase emerges from the bedroom, looking more refreshed and awake than is fair for so early in the morning. He plops down in the chair beside Karolina, and, upon hearing the noise, Molly whips around.

“Who are you?” Unsubtly, she wraps her hand around the handle of a nearby frying pan.

Chase raises an amused eyebrow. “I’m Chase. I’m also Gert’s boyfriend?” He turns to Karolina, with a look on his face that she can’t parse. “Why doesn’t Gert ever tell anyone about me?”

“Because,” Gert says as she stumbles from her bedroom, “I hate giving Molly news over the phone, and she’s been too busy to visit her own sister.”

She gravitates to Chase, who seems more relaxed now, and wraps her arms around his middle, hooking her chin over his shoulder. Gert presses a kiss to his cheek, and Karolina looks away, pained.

Don’t get her wrong, it’s totally not a jealousy thing. She and Gert dated in high school, and they are absolutely one hundred percent over that now. But…Karolina wants that. The easiness of it, how comfortable they look together.

“Listen,” Molly says, “I’ve had stuff going on, okay?”

“What, like, avoiding Klara?”

Molly turns red. “I’m not avoiding her! I just- I mean-“

“Stop now, Molls,” Gert teases, earning her a glare from her sister.

Trying to break up the tension, Chase sticks out a hand, ready to shake. Molly takes it, and, still cautious, gives him a quick shake before letting go. “Anyway, yeah, I’m Chase. Engineering major, third year, met this knucklehead through our Women’s Studies class.”

He nods in Gert’s direction, who is now sitting in the chair next to him. In retaliation, she whacks him on the arm. “Who you calling knucklehead, knucklehead?”

But Chase just laughs, leaning in and kissing her softly. It only lasts a few seconds, but it’s just long enough for Karolina and Molly to share a look in Lesbian Solidarity.

“So,” Molly says loudly, interrupting Gert and Chase’s competition to see who can give the other a sappier look. “Got any plans for today?”

“Neither of them have class, so I am  _ resolutely _ staying out of the apartment,” Karolina says, which earns her a glare from Gert.

“Ew, don’t be gross. We won’t be at that, anyway.”

“Yeah,” Chase says teasingly, “We’ve got a date.”

Gert rolls her eyes playfully. “Meeting you mom does  _ not _ count as a date, you dork.”  _ Meeting his mom?  _ Damn. They’re moving fast.

“Does to me,” he says, and Gert blushes.

The rest of Karolina’s morning is spent eating, putting up with Gert and Chase’s flirting, and trading fed up looks with Molly every now and then. It’s surprisingly fun- Karolina was never the kind of person to have dozens of friends, but this new addition of Chase to their friend group is nice. She says that cautiously, but to be honest, Karolina could see him being a permanent fixture in this little group of theirs.

~~~~~

Maiden, Mother, and the Crone, please give Nico Minoru a break. Like, just one. She’s begging.

Nico is at the farmer’s market, and she was having a pretty decent time- until she saw Beach Girl looking at necklaces at a booth not ten feet from her.

_ Please don’t notice me, please don’t notice me, please don’t notice me,  _ Nico thinks as she plots her best escape route.

No such luck.

“Hey, you!” Beach Girl calls, and Nico speeds up, trying her best to slip away into the crowd. Unfortunately, Beach Girl is very, very fast. She catches up, not even a little at a loss for breath as she asks, “Why’re you running?”

“I’m- I’m not running. Hi, by the way.”

Beach Girl looks annoyingly gorgeous. Nico has never seen her in anything but workout clothes or swimwear, and this whole boho hippy look is really doing it for Nico.

“Hi!” She says cheerily, and, okay, they’re walking together now. Do they look like a couple to the other people here? Wait, why did she even have that thought? “Any particular reason you’re here, or just shopping around?”

Nico holds up her basket, filled with herbs and incense and other vaguely  _ witchy _ things, and only then does it occur to her that that probably looks weird. Shit, does she think Nico is weird, now?

But Beach Girl is still smiling. “Cool! Are you into all that, like, witchcraft stuff? I don’t know much about it, but my-“ she pauses, thinking for a moment. “My best friend’s sister’s sort of girlfriend is into it. Did that make sense?”

She’s acting very bubbly, and Nico wonders if she’s a little tipsy. There’s a cardboard cup in her hand, with a flimsy plastic cover and a logo that screams  _ we sell alcohol!  _ Did she get it here? Nico assumes so. “Yeah, it makes sense. Are you feeling okay?”

She tilts her chin in the direction of the cup, and Beach Girl follows her eyes, then laughs. It’s a beautiful sound. “Oh, yeah, there was a booth back down that way, and who am I to say no to a little day drinking?”

Nico shrugs. “Fair enough. Speaking of who you are…could I get your name?”

Beach Girl throws her head back in a laugh. “Only if you tell me yours! I  _ cannot _ keep calling you Pussy Destroyer in my head, it messes with my mind.”

Nico snorts, trying not to think of the implications of Beach Girl thinking about her when she’s not around. “It’s Nico.”

She smiles. “And I’m Karolina. See, that wasn’t hard.”

_ Karolina.  _ “That’s a beautiful name.”

Karolina grins. “Right back at you. Actually, that makes two Nico’s I know. Weird, isn’t it? It’s not a common name.”

“Oh? Who’s the other one?”

Karolina takes another sip of her drink, knitting her eyebrows together. “Just my roommate’s friend. I haven’t actually met her.”

“Huh. So, what are  _ you _ doing here? If you don’t mind me asking.” Nico is trying to prolong this conversation for as long as humanly possible.

Karolina holds up her own basket. Unlike Nico’s, which is plastic and clearly owned by the organizers, her basket is wicker. There’s pink ribbon wrapped around the large handle, and-  _ IS THAT A PRIDE PIN STUCK TO IT? FUCK YEAH.  _ “I try to buy as much locally owned produce as possible.”

Nico cocks her head. “Then why buy coffee where I work? It’s, like, the most corporate place in the whole neighbourhood.”

Karolina smirks. “Well, let’s just say a certain employee might have something to do with it.”

~~~~~

Karolina cannot believe how bold she was today. Alcohol really is liquid courage, huh? 

Unfortunately, no amount of liquid courage could make her brave enough to ask for Nico’s number. She meant to, she really meant to, but she kept getting scared. Like, what if she doesn’t even like girls? Gert would probably tell her she’s being a wimp, but Gert lucked into a loving boyfriend and is  _ not _ allowed to have an opinion.

Although, she would kind of like her opinion. But, unfortunately, she just texted that she’d be staying over at Chase’s  _ again,  _ so Karolina has to suffer in solitary.

~~~~~

“Gert, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times: I am not going on a date with your weird roommate.”

Gert rolls her eyes, flopping back down on the couch. “Give me one good reason why not.”

“Well, I don’t go on blind dates on principle, and-“

“It’s because she already has a crush on that girl from the coffee shop,” Alex interrupts, and she glares at him. She told him that in  _ confidence. _

“Yeah, I know, but she turned her down- sorry, Neeks- which is why I think that going out with Karrie could help her move on!”

Alex, who’s sitting in the armchair, smirks. “But they hung out today, so I don’t know why she would want to.”

“Alex!” She shrieks, but he just laughs. Nico grabs a coaster off the coffee table and chucks it at him. It hits him straight in the nose, effectively shutting him up.

Gert, looking interested, asks, “Oh? You hung out?”

“I ran into her at the farmer’s market,” Nico grumbles, crossing her arms. “Finally got her name.”

Gert gestures for her to continue, but Nico shakes her head resolutely. She sticks out her bottom lip, pouting, and Nico sighs. “Fine. It’s Karolina.”

Gert’s eyes go wide. “Karolina?”

Why is she being weird? “….Yeah?”

“What does she look like?”

“Blonde, tall, kind of boho-ish. Why?”

Gert lets out a gleeful giggle, then slaps a hand over her mouth, trying to compose herself. Muffled, she says, “No reason. Um, actually, I just realized I have somewhere to be really early tomorrow. Tell Chase I’m sorry?”

Confused, they both agree to tell Chase she won’t be there when he gets home from work. She hurries out, still wearing a crazed grin that Nico can’t parse the meaning behind.

~~~~~

“I’M HOME!”

Karolina shocks awake from her spot on the couch. “What the  _ fuck,  _ Gert.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you were asleep. I would’ve been louder,” Gert kicks off her shoes and plops on the couch, narrowly avoiding Karolina’s legs as she pulls them out of the way just in time.

Karolina rubs at her eyes. “I thought you were staying at Chase’s tonight?”

“Well, I was  _ going  _ to, but then I just had this weird feeling like maybe you’d have some news to share pertaining a girl, so I rushed right home.” The words come out of her in a rush, like she can’t wait to hear what Karolina has to say.

It’s odd, that she would just  _ know,  _ but Karolina has missed talking to Gert. Since she started dating Chase, she hasn’t been around as much, and while Karolina is happy for her, she’s really, really missed her best friend. So she doesn’t question Gert’s sudden psychic abilities when she answers, “Well, you know that cute employee at the coffee shop you hate?”

“Yeah?”

“I saw her today at the farmer’s market, completely out of the blue. And, I know you’ve never met her, or anything, since you refuse to go into the store, but she’s  _ so  _ gorgeous. Like, almost knocked me off my feet. Although, that might’ve been because I was a little drunk, but that’s another thing entirely. Anyway, we hung out, her name’s Nico, and I’m an utter dumbass who was too scared to get her number.”

Gert laughs, sharp as a knife, then stops abruptly. “Alright, well, I’m sure things will work out. Hey, I know what will cheer you up?”

“Uh, what?”

“There’s this movie screening tomorrow at the drive-in my friend works at. You know Alex, right?” Karolina nods. “Well, he works there, and he said they’re screening-“ Gert’s face breaks into a maniacal smile. “Guess. Guess what they’re screening.”

“What?”

“Honey I Shrunk The Kids.”

Oh, hell yeah. That would  _ totally  _ cheer her up. “You mean my favourite movie of all time? I’m in.”

~~~~~

“Tell me again why I  _ have  _ to be here?”

Chase is forcing her to accompany him to see Honey I Shrunk The Kids, and Nico does  _ not _ want to be here. She would much rather spend her Saturday evening in the bath, reading yet another mystery novel. But nope, here she is at Alex’s dinky drive-in.

“Because I said so,” Chase tells her, and she screws her face up at him.

“Bullshit. Did Gert make you do this? Did she promise you sexual favours if you forced your innocent best friend to go to the drive-in?”

Silence. When she turns to him, his face is very, very red.  _ Gotcha.  _ Nico sighs in disgust. “You are so weak, you know that?”

“No, I’m not.”

Affecting a dramatic, scathing tone, Nico says, “You have the moral backbone of a chocolate éclair.”

“Don’t quote John Mulaney at me. Also, we’re here.” He pulls in between a cheery yellow Mini Cooper on her side and what looks suspiciously like Gert’s ugly Volkswagen van on his. It’s not her usual car, but Nico knows she has one, or maybe borrows it from a friend- and the head of purple hair she’s just spotted in the front seat proves it.

“Chase, I swear to god, you are  _ not  _ leaving me alone so you can go fuck your girlfriend in the back of a Volkswagen. I am  _ not having it.” _

“Oh, what do you know, she _ is  _ here! Thanks for pointing that out to me, Nico!” His voice is overly cheery, and Nico is going to literally murder him. “Well, I might as well go say hi!”

He unclicks his seatbelt, but Nico stops him before he can get out, digging her nails into his forearm. “Chase. You are  _ not  _ leaving me here.”

“Oh, but I am. It’s not like you can drive home.”  _ Rude. _ “Just watch the movie, Neeks. And hey, look around- it’s a beautiful night.”

What does  _ that  _ mean? Unfortunately, she doesn’t have time to find out, as Chase hops out of the car and joins Gert in her van. Soon, they’re both out of sight, having retreated to the cargo, and she shudders at the thought of what they’re doing back there.

Nico sighs, slumping back into her seat. Well, looks like she’s stuck here.

She looks in the direction of the concessions stand. That popcorn sure does smell good. Nico checks her pockets, and, yup, there’s her wallet. What kind of luck is that?

She hops out of Chase’s annoyingly expensive car, trotting over and getting in line. She’s standing behind a blonde girl, who’s so tall that Nico can’t see the food options.

She taps on the girl’s shoulder. “Hey, could you…”

It’s Karolina.  _ It’s Karolina! _

“Oh, Nico, hi! Funny seeing you here!” Her voice goes high pitched at the end of the last word, and her fingers are  _ tap tap tap- _ ing on her bare thigh. Is she…nervous? Nico definitely is. She has to force herself to look away from what seems like miles of smooth tan skin, only interrupted by her crop top and tiny cut offs.

“H-hey, Karolina. Um, my friend works here, so…”

“That’s- that’s cool. Have you seen this movie before?”

Nico shakes her head. “Nah. I kinda got dragged along- and then promptly abandoned.” She rolls her eyes, more at Chase than the girl in front of her. “My friend ‘ran into’ his girlfriend the minute we got here.”

“Ugh, that sucks. Hey, if you want…”

“NEXT!” The guy at the counter shouts, and Karolina startles, then relaxes. She nods in the direction of the counter, seeming to ask,  _ do you want to order with me? _

Nico grins, nodding, so they both step up and order. Karolina gets a pack of skittles and a Sprite, and Nico gets her customary order of Coke and a bag of Whoppers. When it comes time to pay, she starts to get out her wallet, but Karolina waves her off.

Both eyebrows go up. “You sure?”

“Oh, totally, no worries,” she pays the guy, and they start walking back to the lot.

“Um, thanks.” Nico wishes she wasn’t blushing. She also wishes she was wearing more makeup past the messy eyeliner and chapstick. Although, a full makeup look might be weird with the cargo shorts and hoodie she’s wearing. The hoodie isn’t even hers, it’s Alex’s. Nico really, really hopes Karolina is into the whole ‘dirty college student’ look.

“What were you going to ask me, earlier?”

“Oh, um,” she says, blushing, “I was going to invite you to watch the movie with me and my friend. If you want.”

_ Does your ‘friend’ have to be there? Can’t it just be the two of us? _ But Nico knows that’s selfish. “I’d love to.”

Fortunately, Nico doesn’t have to worry about Karolina’s ‘friend’. When they reach her car, it’s empty, save for a note stuck to the dash that says,  _ ran into an old friend. B back l8er. _

“Oh. Huh. I wonder who she ran into?”

Nico shrugs, getting comfortable in the passenger’s seat. “Oh, movie’s starting.”

They stay there together, Karolina intently watching the movie and Nico intently watching Karolina, tracing the soft lines of her face with her eyes. About halfway through, almost nervous, Karolina leaves her hand palm up on the centre console. Nico inched her hand towards hers, hesitantly entangling their fingers.

Karolina is still looking at the screen, but Nico has no doubt about the reason behind her sudden smile.

~~~~~

Molly needs to stop whining, or Karolina is going to literally throw the fuck down.

Gert has asked them to come to a party tonight-  _ less of a party, more of a get-together _ , her words- so they can be properly introduced to Chase’s friends. Karolina has met a few of them- Alex, and a guy named Victor who seems pretty cool. She thinks melding their friend groups together is probably a good idea.

Molly disagrees. “Gert, I am not making buddy buddy with a bunch of dumb boys.”

Gert sighs. “I told you before, Chase has two roommates, one guy, and one girl. There will be two men in the whole apartment. You’re being purposely thickheaded.”

Molly sighs dramatically. “Fiiiiiine.”

“Oh, thank god,” Karolina groans, finally getting up from the couch to pull on her shoes. “You know what I could have been doing in the literal two hours it took to convince you? I could’ve seen a movie, gone on a date- but no. I was here. Listening to you whine.”

Molly wrinkles her nose at her as she starts to pull on her All-Stars. “Don’t be sarcastic, Karolina, it doesn’t suit you.”

Karolina sticks her tongue out, and Molly does the same, and it just devolves into them making faces at each other until Gert sighs, exasperated. “If you two don’t stop it right now-“

“You’ll what? Make me stay home?” Molly is wearing a devilish smile that says that that is exactly what she wants, and Gert glares at her.

“No. Let’s just go, okay?” She seems very eager, suddenly, and Molly and Karolina trade a look.  

“Fine, fine, let’s go.”

~~~~~

“Nico, what’s a good vegan joke?”

“First of all,” Chase says, interrupting the start of her frankly hilarious answer, “Kar is vegetarian. Second of all, both of you need to go change. You look like you found your clothes in a brony’s donation bin.”

They both let out an offended shriek, then scurry off to their respective rooms to change. Nico doesn’t see what the big deal is, but whatever. She’ll dress nice and put on a bit of makeup- but if Gert has tricked Chase into thinking she will ever go on a date with her weird roommate, they’re both wrong.

She’s just finished her makeup when she hears the door open, so she trots back out to the living room. Standing in the open doorway are Gert, her sister Molly who Nico has already met, and….

Karolina. Karolina is in her apartment. Holy shit holy shit holy-

Wait. Does that mean  _ Karolina _ is Gert’s weird roommate? What the fuck?

She catches Gert’s eye, giving her a look that she hopes conveys,  _ did you know? _

Gert nods in response, and, even though the glare Nico gives her is the most menacing in her arsenal, all she does is laugh.

Unlike Nico, Karolina apparently finds this ‘coincidence’ very funny.

“Small world, huh?” Karolina is still kind of giggling, and Nico feels any type of anger she was originally holding onto drain out of her.

“Yeah, small world,” she says, taking a sip of her drink. Alex starts to hum the song under his breath,  _ it’s a small world after all, it’s a small world after all,  _ but Nico punches him in the arm to shut him up. He pouts in her direction, but Nico just rolls her eyes.

~~~~~

What time is it?

All six of them have been playing Overwatch for what feels like days, and as much fun as she’s been having (even if she sucks), Karolina would like to know just how late it is.

Her phone has long since died, and she doesn’t see any clocks from where she’s sitting. She looks around, seeing if anyone else is awake at this point. The game is still running, but the sound is way down. In the faint glow from the television, she sees Gert and Chase curled up together on the couch she’s sitting on the edge of, Molly fast asleep in the armchair, Alex spread out under the coffee table (???) and Nico-

Wait. Where is Nico?

Karolina wonders if she’s retreated to her room- but then she sees the open window, leading out to the fire escape. There’s a vaguely Nico shaped figure sitting out there, a bottle of what looks like vodka in her hand.

She stands up, stretching as she makes her way over to the window. She climbs out, plopping down beside Nico. “Hey.”

“Hey. Want some?” She offers the bottle to Karolina, who gladly grabs it from her, taking a long pull and putting back down the bottle, grimacing.

“That is some  _ very  _ cheap vodka.” Karolina wipes at her mouth, regarding the view. “It’s nice out here.”

“Yeah,” Nico says softly. “You can practically see the whole city. And don’t rag on my vodka.”

“I will rag on it, seeing as it’s quite literally disgusting.”

Nico holds her hand out. “Then give it back then, to somebody who will appreciate it.”

Karolina snatches the bottle and holds it over the edge, teasing. “Nah.”

“Karo _ lina. _ Give it back.”

She smirks. “Make me.”

Almost like she was waiting for the opportunity, Nico leans in and kisses her soundly. Karolina tangles her other hand in Nico’s hair, pulling her close as their lips slide against each other-

Nico snatches back the bottle and pulls away from her, grinning. “There. You know, it’s not all that bad, you sure you don’t want some more?”

It might not be a double entendre, but Karolina treats it as one.

“Absolutely,” she says softly, then leans in to kiss her again. Her lips are soft, tasting a little like cherries, and Karolina swears it’s the best kiss of her entire life.


End file.
